Tabla Gaza

There was a time that Hamas would take credit for the missles being fired from Gaza at people's homes.

There was a time that Hamas would take credit for the missles fired from Gaza as the reason for Israel's retreat from Gaza, for the Disengagement.

There was a time that Hamas would take credit for the missles being fired from Gaza as evidence of their power and the reason they should be elected by the Palestinian Arabs.

But not anymore.

Now Hamas blames Fatah for wave of rocket attacks on Israel:

"Their main goal is to drag Israel into a major confrontation in order to bring down the Hamas administration," a Hamas minister said. He pointed out that Hamas was not involved in firing rockets and that the movement would continue to honor the unofficial truce with Israel.

It really is true--the more things change, the more they stay the same. Just last year, Fatah was in control of the PA, and we read stories like this:

Tensions have mounted between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas leading up to the withdrawal. Last month, the two sides clashed when Palestinian security forces tried to stop Hamas from firing rockets and mortar shells at Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. Hamas is in control with a clean slate, a table rasa, and big plans--but Fatah is upsetting Hamas' apple cart, undercutting them.

Hamas has other problems as well, as the West seems to have finally--if temporarily--found the backbone to present a united front in withholding funds from Hamas until it recognizes Israel, stops the terrorist attacks, and agrees to hold itself to previous PA agreements.

Meanwhile, al-Quds Brigades apparently has decided to stop firing rockets into Israel--in part because of the Israel's retaliatory military strikes:

"The decision was taken to prove to the world that Israel is initiating attacks on the Palestinians and that we are only responding," the military wing said in a leaflet distributed in Gaza City. "We want to show the world that we are only defending ourselves and that we don't love bloodshed." [emphasis added]

Kind of late in the day for that, isn't it?

With all of their preening and posturing, Fatah and Hamas are no different from al-Quds Brigades, distancing themselves from the terrorist image that got them the world attention that got them this far, but which may finally prove a liability--as Hamas is finding out.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Hamas and Palestinians and and Fatah.